ferris



2 Sheets-Sheet; l.

(Model.)

s. B. FERRIS.V

CORSET,

Patented Feb. 6, 1883.

Ny PETiRs. Fnetumagmpher, wnshngmm D. t;

2 Sheets.-SheeJ 2.

(Model.)

s. B. P BRRIS.

GORSBT.

Patented Feb. 6, 1883 EaZ/622207 UNTTED STATES PATENT EErcE.

SHERWOOD B. FERRIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 271,618, dated February 6, 1883.

Application filed February 451882. (Model.)

'view of the corset; Fig. l0, an enlarged faceview of the corset-clasps. Figs. 1l, 12, 13,' and 14 are further vdetail views of the corset.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of a corset, and also its tit; and it consists of various features of improvement that relate to the stiffening of the garment and to the arrangement of thegores therein, to the manner of attaching the clasps,-

and to other features of construction that are hereinafter more fully described.

The invention also consistsin a new arrangement of shoulder-straps and their combination with skirt-supporters, that is hereinafter more fully specified.

The first object of the improvement relates to the use, in combination with cord stift'eners, of adjacent bone stifeners.

In Figs. 2 and 3, 6 and 7, is shown the cord stil'ener a side by side with thin bone stiffeners b, there being always a cord c and a bone b, held between two rows, c c, of stitches. In a two-ply corset-such as is shown in Fig. 3 the bones and cords are contiguous in each pocket formed by the two rows of stitches; but in a three-ply corset-such as is indicated in Figs. 6 and r' the cord c may be between the thicknesses d and c of cloth, and the bones b between the thicknesses d andf of cloth, and yet each cord and its corresponding boue will be held between two rows o f stitches c. Cords inserted in corsets are useful as stiftening devices, and have already been used, but they do not give the desired support in all parts; and hence I have deemed it desirable to insert them, in conjunction with the bones, at the same time that the stitching is done, by means of which the cords and the bones are conned in place. One bone may be placed close to two cords, or vice. versa, if desired. The cord is usually inserted in the corsets, at the same time that the stitching is done, by means of an attachment to the sewing-machine, which is called a corder, and I propose to insert the bone b or equivalent stiening device into the pocket at the same time that the cord is run in. A skilled operator can insert the bone b or its equivalent at same time that cord is run in with the usual corder; but it is more readily inserted by the use of a slight attachment to the usual corder in the shape of a narrow channel for the bone to run through; or it may be inserted by hand. The cords should be the full length of the corset, (see Fig. 2;) but the bones are shorter, being only placed where they are needed as stiffeners. Hence the cords and bones must be separate from one another to enable the latter to -be properly located.

In some parts of the corset the cords are not used in combination with' bone. Here I insert narrow strips g, of bone or equivalent structure, standing edgewise between the two thicknesses d and c of the fabric that constitutes the body of the corset. This is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. By having the bone set on edge in the corresponding pockets of the corsetIobtain great stiiening, together with light weight, and as the boneis inserted at the time the stitching is done, I am able to secure the bone in position, when desired, by simply curving the stitching, as shown at cX in Fig; 4, at the ends of the pockets for the bones. The bones inserted edgewise, as statedkshould be beveled or rounded at the ends, so tis-not to eut through the fabric.

In some parts of the corset, instead of stili.

ening by bones, I place one or more layers of tampico or grass cloth or other stift' fabric into the body of the corset as a face for the corset, over or under which I run the cord a. Such a section of tampico is shown at li in Fig. 1. If the tampico is used in more than one ply or thickness, it should all be placed with lthe stronger ber of the fabric running` up and down, so as to give the most support. Twoply tampicoy may be used with cord, which may be run in without other cloth, thus producing a complete section ofthe corset of tam pico; or one ply of cloth and one ply ot' tampico may be used, as at i". For the bones that are to lie at in the corset, I cause in the corset which is 'indicated in Fig. 14 the folding edges dX and ex ofthe plies d and e to be turned in IOO parallel with the body of the corset, so as to give material'for the extra pockets of three sets of bones,jk l, which can thus be arranged in three thicknesses-that is to say, the three bones between two rows, c2, of stitching, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1I. Having folded Ithe margins d* and e* as far as desired and made the stitches c2, I stitch across one margin and its body-say between e* and e-at one point, and across the other margin-say between d* and d-at another point. This' cross-stitching shortens the pockets for the bonesj and l, but does not shorten the pocket for the middle bone, whichis between the parts dx and e", and I am thus enabled to have the bonesj between cl and d", say, extend from the top of the corset to the cross-seam m, the bone l between and cc from the bottom of the corset to the crossseain n, and the bone k between d* and e)c from the top to the bottom ofthe corset; or, as in Figs. 11 and 12, I may only use two bones,j and Z, in pairs, the bone j extending from the top of the corset up to the seam m, and the bone l from the bottom of the corset to the seam n. In the latter case the margin e* need not be turned in as far as in Fig. 14. It will thus be seen that there are pockets formed for short overlapping bones, as in Fig. 8, and in the structure shown in Fig. 14 also for long central bones. Instead of rows of stitching' m and n to form the terminals for the pockets, I mayv use cross-strips of folded cloth, as at m in Fig. 1l, or cord, as at m in Fig. 13, to terminate these pockets, and these strips or cords can lie-stitched fast with the stitches c2, thus avoiding the use of additional eross-seams.

The clasps for the corset are shown at A and B in Fig. 10. Each of these claspsis inclosed in a corresponding pocket having a marginal iiap, 0. The corset itself is finished in frontI as if it were to have no clasps, and I then attach the clasps to either the inner or outer face of the corset by stitching its marginal iiap at p to the corset-body. This allows me to readily rip olf the clasp when it is desired to have the corset washed or a new clasp put in place. l

Another object of my invention has reference to the bosonrpad. The bosom-pads of my corset are marked C in Fig. 1, and each made of series of pieces or sections to form the usual hollow lor the reception of vthe bosom. Each' pad C is continued upward beyond and above the bosom to form prolongations D D, which jt into the hollows in front of the shoulders and extend up to the top of the shoulder-blade, and thus fill the parts that are usually padded by dress-makers.

In order to make the corset to fit various sizes of figure, I provide it with peculiar soft gores-namely, a wedgeshaped gore, which is absolutely flexible and not stil at any point, is inserted at i', (see Fig. 1,) near the front of the bosom, and another such soft gore may be inserted at s, at or near the hip; and a third long soft gore, wider at the ends and narrow in the middle, and extending the full length of the corset, is inserted in each side, as shown at t in Fig. 9. The curved edges of the piece t are stitched to straight edges of the adjoining parts of the corset. These soft gores allow the corset to expand more than the usual size, and allow it also to overlap where these soft gores are formed, and to become therefore quite small. 'lo facilitate the drawing in of the corset at the places where these soft gores are employed, I provide the corset with eyelets u near said gores, which are clearly shown in Fig. 9 contiguous to the soft gores t and s.

The shoulder-brace E, which is made according to my invention, is removably attached in front, at the outer portion of the bosom-pad, as shown in Fig. 1, carried over the shoulder to the back of thc corset from right to left and from left to right, its rear ends crossing each other and being attached to hooks e, that are capable of turning in the eyelets 1v, which are formed for their reception in the corset-body. The upper part of the strap E, that rests on the arm, has an enlarged or widened pad, w. (Shown in Fig. 1.) An underarm strap, y, connects by a buckle in front ot the arm with the main strap E, goes under the arm and back to the body of the corset, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9. 'lhe front end ot' the strap y can be readily adjusted by the wearer, being within convenient reach. From these uuderarm straps are suspended the skirt-supporter straps F. The hooks by which the under-arm strap y is fastened to the back of the corset can also turn in eyelets w.

My corset, as arranged with the shoulderbrace, can be used with or without the saine, as the shoulder-brace is detachable, being tied in front and fastened by hooks at the back.

I claim- 1. In a corset, the stitfening-bones g, inserted edgewise between the thicknesses of cloth, so that their shortest edges will be parallel with the face of the corset, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a corset, the stiifening-bones g, made wider than they are thick, and held edgewise by two rows of parallel stitching that form pockets for the saine, so that their shortest edge will be parallel with the face of the corset, substantially as specified.

3. A corset having its fabrics d and e doubled inward at dx and 0X to form extra pockets for two or more transversesets of bones, substantially as specified.

4. In a corset, the fabrics d e, folded double to form extra pockets, in combination with the bonej, cross-seam or cross-support m, bone l, and cross-seam or cross-support n, all arranged substantially as specified.

5. The combination ofthe overlappingbones j and l with the bones k, of full length, and with the two sheets fl e of fabric, which sheets are doubled to form pockets for all said bones loo in transverse direction, substantially as specivcurved ends c* obliquely across the bones, to fied. prevent longitudinal movement of the bones [o 6. The corset, combined Awith the detacha.- that do not enter the curved paits of the pockble shoulder-strap E :md with the under-arm cts, as herein shown and described.

5 strap y, which is secured by buckle in front SHERWOOD B. FERRIS.-

of the arm to the strap E, substantially as Witnesses: described. SAML. R. BE'ITS,

7. In e corset, the bone-pockets, made'with WILLIAM H. G. SMITH. 

